Bluetooth is a wireless protocol that facilitates data transmissions over short distances from fixed and/or mobile devices. The intent behind the development of Bluetooth was the creation of a single digital wireless protocol, capable of connecting multiple devices and overcoming issues arising from synchronization of these devices. Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as mobile phones, telephones, laptops, personal computers, printers, GPS receivers, digital cameras, and video game consoles over a secure, global 2.4 GHz short-range radio frequency bandwidth. The Bluetooth specifications are developed and licensed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The Bluetooth SIG consists of companies in the areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics.
Bluetooth exists in many products, such as telephones, printers, modems and headsets. The technology is particularly useful when transferring information between two or more devices that are near each other in low-bandwidth situations. Bluetooth is commonly used to transfer sound data with telephones or byte data with hand-held computers. Bluetooth simplifies the discovery and setup of services between devices. Bluetooth devices can advertise all of the services they provide. This makes using services easier because there is no longer a need to set up network addresses or permissions as in many other networks.
Satellite radio services are provided through a digital radio signal that is broadcast by a communications satellite. Satellite radio uses the 2.3 GHz S band in North America and generally shares the 1.4 GHz L band with local Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) stations elsewhere. It is a type of direct broadcast satellite and is strong enough that it requires no satellite dish to receive. Each satellite receiver has an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) Radio ID that identifies the receiver. When a receiver unit is activated with a subscription, an authorization code is sent in the broadcast digital stream that instructs the receiver to allow access to the channels. Like other radio services, satellite radio also transmits program-associated data (PAD or metadata), like the artist and title of each song or program and possibly the name of the channel. Both services are available mainly via portable receivers in automobiles. Satellite radio receivers are typically built into an FM radio receiver, coupled to an existing FM receiver through an FM transmitter, or directly connected through a cable to an existing radio receiver.
In order to use Bluetooth, a device must be compatible with certain Bluetooth profiles. These define the possible applications and uses of the technology. Users of portable electronic devices such as digital music players and cellular telephone currently have no way to interface their Bluetooth devices with devices that do not have a Bluetooth transceiver. Since many other types of devices use entirely different protocols such as frequency modulation, satellite radio broadcasts or compact disc formats to format their data, many devices are not compatible with Bluetooth transmissions. While these devices can be equipped with Bluetooth transceivers, doing so increases the cost of the device and may only be desired by a small percentage of users. Therefore, unfortunately, there will always be devices that are not equipped to utilize the Bluetooth protocol.